# Bella Maclean

Bella Maclean (born 1997 or 1998) is a British actress. On television, she appeared in the fourth season of the Netflix series Sex Education (2023) and the Disney+ series Rivals (2024). She is also known for portraying Martha in the 2021 London revival of Spring Awakening.

## Early life and education

Maclean spent her early childhood in New York City for her parents' work, before they returned to England and settled in East Sussex when she was 10. Maclean has twin sisters.
In 2020, Maclean graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting.

## Career
### Stage

Maclean made her professional stage debut as Martha in the 2021 London revival of Spring Awakening at the Almeida Theatre. Her performance was described as "an eye-catching turn as Martha" by theatre critic Fiona Mountford. The production was directed by Rupert Goold, with Laurie Kynaston and Amara Okereke leading. A filmed performance of the production was screen at cinemas in the United Kingdom in November 2023.
She returned to the stage in 2024 as Bella Wilfer in the National Theatre's London Tide, a musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel Our Mutual Friend. The production was directed by Ian Rickson, adapted by Ben Power, and music by Powers and PJ Harvey. While the play and score received mixed reviews, Maclean's performance was positively reviewed. The official cast recording was released in October.

### Film and television

In 2023, Maclean made her television debut in two episodes of the BBC One police procedural Silent Witness. She joined the cast of the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education for its fourth and final season as Jem. She has also appeared in the short films Dragged Up and La La Means I Love You.
In 2024, Maclean had her breakout role in the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rivals. She portrayed Agatha 'Taggie' O'Hara, the overlooked daughter of Declan (Aidan Turner) and Maud (Victoria Smurfit) who struggles with dyslexia while trying to pursue culinary dreams. The show was met with widespread critical acclaim, while Maclean's scenes with love interest Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) were described as "engagingly complex". The series was renewed in December, with Maclean set to return.

## Recognition and awards

Maclean was a finalist in the Josephine Hart Poetry Prize in 2019, when a student at Guildhall. The prize is awarded for reading a poem.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2018 | La La Means I Love You | Tallulah | Short film |
| 2023 | Dragged Up | Amy | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | Silent Witness | Sara Mendes | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Sex Education | Jem | 6 episodes (season 4) |
| 2024 | Rivals | Agatha 'Taggie' O'Hara | Main role |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Venue | Ref. |
| 2021 | Spring Awakening | Martha | Rupert Goold | Almeida Theatre, London | |
| 2024 | London Tide | Bella Wilfer | Ian Rickson | National Theatre, London | |

## Discography
### Cast recording

* 2024: London Tide (World Premiere Recording)

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2024 | Talk Telly Awards | Best Breakthrough | Rivals | Nominated | |